This invention is in the field of toilets and is more specifically directed to a new and unique hinge combination for a toilet seat and toilet seat cover which avoids the use of conventional screw-type fasteners.
Toilet seat hinges have in the past usually been connected to toilet seat and/or covers by conventional screw-type fasteners in a well-known manner notwithstanding a number of disadvantages arising from the use of such fasteners. For example, screw fasteners frequently rust or corrode or become weakened and unsightly with the recesses in the hinge components and the screw fasteners acting to entrap and restrain unsanitary materials. Sealing covers for such screw fasteners have consequently been proposed in an effort to avoid the aforementioned problems of unsightly appearance and contamination; however, such sealing covers do not represent a complete solution to the aformentioned problems in that they frequently become dislodged and broken.
Another problem with the previously employed screw-type fasteners is that they are not always reliable and will frequently become loose and fall or pull out of the seat or cover into which they are inserted. Additionally, it sometimes occurs that the insertion of the screw-type fasteners damages or splits the seat or cover. Also, the use of metal screw-type fasteners frequently results in corrosion problems which are impossible to eliminate. Furthermore, the use of screw-type fasteners also entails a substantial amount of installation labor so as to increase the cost of the overall product.
Efforts to solve the foregoing problems have resulted in a variety of diccicult to assemble and complicated devices such as exemplified in U.S. Pat. Nos. 559,478; 976,395 and 1,077,779. However, the functional shortcomings and the expense of the prior known devices have precluded their widespread adoption and the most common method of mounting compression moulded and solid wood toilet seats to hinge assemblies remains the well-known screw-type fastener.
Therefore, it is the primary object of this invention to provide a new and improved means for attaching toilet seats and/or toilet seat covers to a toilet.
A further object of the invention is the provision of a new and improved combination of a toilet, hinge means and toilet seat and cover arrangement.